C500 upgrade blues

[Guest TSCRYPTO]

I am 8 months into another 12 month contract with Orange and have decided that I want to get rid of my rubbishy E200 and upgrade to the C500.

I visited my local Orange shop today and they informed me that not only would I have to buy out the rest of my existing contract (which I expected) but that I would also have to pay an upgrade fee of 79.00 - making a total to upgrade of £179.99.

This is a bit too expensive.

I rang the upgrades people at 150 who said that there was nothing that could be done. I have just rung retentions, but they are closed on Sundays.

I really dont want to leave Orange but at the same time do not want to have to wait until FEB next year to start a fresh 12 month contract.

Is there anything I can do? I WILL leave Orange if necessary.

Any advice anyone?

Cheers

[Guest rikwebb]

Same problem that I had.

Retentions told me they would rather loose me than waive the upgrade fee.

You could just pay the £75, and do the upgrade without buying out your contract.

I spoke to O CS and explained all the problems I was having with the e200, and that I had applied two roms, without it resolving my main issue (Parrot BT car kit). I then said to them that e200 was 'not fit for purpose', and that according to the 'sale of goods act' which I was reading............

Anyway, the waived half the upgrade fee and I got an upgrade for 37.50.

Hope this helps

Rik

[Guest TSCRYPTO]

Thanks Rik.

You could just pay the £75, and do the upgrade without buying out your contract.

You sure about this? O told me that a new 12 month contract was mandatory and that I would have to buy out the remaining time on my current one.

Or am I reading this wrong?

Cheers.

[Guest awarner [MVP]]

With Orange it seems to be the luck of the draw who you

speak to, I had similar with the mpx200 when it was first released.

[Guest ferret]

In the past I have taken out a new contract and dropped the old one to the lowest tariff going. There's a £10/month data thingy (not sure on the Virgin OVP). Obviously, this means having a new number.

[Guest TSCRYPTO]

Thanks Ashley.

I will try and bend a few more ears over the next couple of days and see how I get on.

My E200 is rubbish - it always has been - hence my disenchantment manifesting itself in a long absence from Modaco... :)

I'll get a C500 one way or the other... (fingers crossed)

Cheers

[Guest TSCRYPTO]

In the past I have taken out a new contract and dropped the old one to the lowest tariff going.  There's a £10/month data thingy (not sure on the Virgin OVP).  Obviously, this means having a new number.

Thanks mate...I'll keep this in mind.

[Guest TSCRYPTO]

Carphone Warehouse have just quoted me £69.99 to upgrade to the C500 with no mention of a fresh 12 month contract.

And they will allow me to trad in my E200 for £35.00.

Surely not.

:?:

EDIT: Surely not indeed - I just phoned them and they stated that the existing contract would need to be bought out, making a grand total of 169.00 - shame this was not detailed on the website.

Back to the drawing board.

[Guest ferret]

Carphone Warehouse have just quoted me £69.99 to upgrade to the C500 with no mention of a fresh 12 month contract.

And they will allow me to trad in my E200 for £35.00.

Surely not.

:?:

Let me know how you get on :twisted:

[Guest TSCRYPTO]

Let me know how you get on :twisted:

See my edited post above mate :?

[Guest dshaugney]

TSCRYPTO I hope this helps. Follow the link below.

http://www.mobileshop.com/mobilephones/ora...iff/upgrade.php

[Guest mcwarre]

Myles,

I am in the same boat as you; you can upgrade in the 11 month of the contract with no upgrade fee (they keep quiet about this but will do it at a push). If your average bill over the last 3 months is >£30 you will get the upgrade (phone price) free but have to pay the upgrade fee. My average is £20-£25 so if I make lots off calls for two months then I will average the £30 with no phone cost but an upgrade fee of £75 + VAT which I am prepared to pay. Just have to wait or pay up :-(

You could flog your E200 on eBay which will pay the upgrade fee :)

On the plus side the MPx220 is out soon so you can compare and buy the best not be stuck with a C500 if you want the MPx......

Keep us informed mate and nice to see you back!

[Guest TSCRYPTO]

mcwarre...

Cheers me old mate - behaving yourself I trust?

:)

[Guest mcwarre]

Cheers me old mate - behaving yourself I trust?

:)

Me? With my reputation?? Are you completely mad? Oh well.................

[Guest squall]

few other things to be aware of.

orange currently give you 50 pounds if you start a new contract and give i friends name as a referer the friend also gets 25.

the £25 120 any time any network tarrif currenty comes with double minutes for six months.

they offer double minutes on other networks to but i foot have the details.

i got a months free wap and a deal on a broadband modem.

as far as i know you need to in direct to orange to get these deals. and they are only for new customers

Posted from my SmartPhone!

[Guest TSCRYPTO]

Thanks squall.

I will certainly be trying to get this sorted this week - before I head off to Aussie for 3 weeks in mid September.

Cheers.

[Guest sponge]

Can someone explain this 'recommend a friend' scheme, please? I vaguely remember getting leaflets with my bills, but I have ditched them all. :oops:

Is it only possible when taking out a new contract from an Orange Shop? Or can I take advantage of the offer online, or from somewhere like The Carphonewarehouse?

While I'm here - online tariffs, I presume they are only available when purchasing online? Because I like the look of 120 minutes for £15 per month, but would also like to take the new contract out in my girlfriends name so we can benefit from the 'recommend a friend' deal.

[Guest TSCRYPTO]

Some good news!

I dont know what is more consistent - Oranges provison of information or my bowel movements. Chances are its the latter.

After talking with O yesterday and today I was told on 3 separate occasions that it would cost me £179.99 to upgrade to the C500 (see above).

After a bit of thinking and detective work which only lead to dead ends, I decided to bite the bullet and pay the full cost.

I went back to the same store today and requested the upgrade. However, when the chap got off the phone he told me that the £79.99 charge would NOT be included (in his words "there's no upgrade charge") and that all I was liable for was £100.00 :)

It just goes to show that yes, you can get something your way if you kick up a big enough stink, but also getting a good result can depend on your timing, who you speak to and perhaps what mood they are in.

The C500 is charging now...cant wait to start playing with it.

Cheers

tSc

:P

[Guest sponge]

Another satisfied customer :) I'm still reading all the posts on changing to the c500, working out how I can best do it.

I had another thought this morning - I wanted to get a new contract in my girlfriend's name to benefit from new customer offers, but port the number she has been using on my O2 contract (I have an Orange and an O2 contract remember), then I had a terrible thought. The contract she is using is in my name - can I port number in my name to a new contract in her name?

[Guest mcwarre]

Sponge,

You can do it although it is easier for you to do it and then transfer the new contract (if she passes a credit check). This is far simpler than getting O to Port and new contract....

[Guest lexlutherspv]

Why dont you drop your existing orange contract to a lower tarriff (such as ovp £13.99/month giving you 750 free mins offpeak to orange or land inc 50 texts) sign up another contract with £100 cash back which would save you the majority of your bill.

NB you would have a new number but you'd still have the old to forward calls from etc and use in the evenings..

Any thoughts?

[Guest sponge]

But if I take out the contract in my name (even if I do then transfer it to her) I won't be able to recommend myself as the exsiting Orange customer and benefit from the £50+£25, will I? :?

The option of dropping to a cheaper tariff is interesting, but I am trying to keep costs as low as possible and to two mobile phone contracts. :)

Why do Orange force us to go to these lengths to get the best deal? It's rediculous. Another example of how new customers are more important than existing ones - no matter what the industry. :x

[Guest TSCRYPTO]

Am in my local at the moment having a quiet stella and all i can say is WOW. This phone is fantastic compared to the e200. :)

Posted from my C500 SmartPhone!

[Guest lexlutherspv]

I used to think my e200 was awesome until it stopped readin the memory card, the nipple stopped working and the delete key deletes the entire text in one go .. it's gonna happen !?!

[Guest spark-x]

I was 6 months into a 12 month contract on Talk 200 - i normally spend £55 per month. I've upgraded to the C500 for £100 (+VAT) with fresh 12 month contract... didn't seem too bad to me - considering get to keep 6 month old V600 or sell for over upgrade fee. The C500 is a £300 phone at least?

sx